


A Journey Through the Wastes

by Skywarden



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Action, Adventure, Eventual Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-05 13:52:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18829987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skywarden/pseuds/Skywarden
Summary: Caia Ramsey had firm plans for her future, she couldn't wait to move out of her parents' place in Sanctuary Hills and move back to Boston. They wanted her to live a simple and appealing life, like a Lawyer. But she wanted nothing to do with their career choices and wanted an active lifestyle, one with a new experience everyday.No one in the simple community expected the bombs to fall that fateful day in October of 2077. She never expected to be frozen in cyrogenic sleep and wake over 200 years later in a completely new and very dangerous world. Her life would forever be changed and with a promise held to a young couple and their kidnapped son. She would learn to adapt or die. Her lifestyle would certainly be the active and dangerous her parents so desperately didn't want her to have.But what's life without a little chaos?





	1. April 21st, 2288

**Author's Note:**

> Author Disclaimer: This is only a little fun Fic I am writing to get some writing practice in-between work and dealing with children. This work is a combination of in-game series of events as well as very made up ones of my own. I will try to upload as often as possible, as I like to write the old fashion way then onto my comp before it goes here. My good friend is also helping me edit and add ideas, but I am always open to constructive criticism! Also any spelling errors you find that we miss feel free to point out!

April 21 st 2287   
  
  
__ _ The cold alone was unforgiving. The gripping fear that came next was worse. She gasped as it felt like her lungs and throat were closing. She coughed as the penetrating cold bit down her throa, and she began to shiver uncontrollably. Her eyes darted everywhere at once as she tried to understand what was going on and where she was. Memories began flooding her mind. _ __  
_ She remembered the alarms, the panicking people as she ran; the military vehicles rushing into the community. She remembered arguing with her mother to go but her mother refused, telling her to go while she waited for her husband. Her parents, oh gods her parents! Her breathing was coming faster as the fear threatened to consume her. She remembered running to the location of Vault 111, the officer with the clipboard told her to go forward. A bunch of people were pleading to be let through too, but the man refused. Why wouldn’t he just let them through anyways? She hurried to the platform where a bunch of other people stood and took her place beside a couple with a baby. The platform began to slowly descend, but weren’t there more people coming? She hoped so. There was a loud explosion and an incredibly bright flash of light. When the light subsided all she could see was a massive, terrifying mushroom cloud rising in the distance. She heard screams from the people around her as the platform descended. A shock-wave from the nuclear explosion blew passed overhead.  _ __  
_ That was the last she would ever see a normal world. Once the platform completely descended, all the people were ushered inside by Vault staff. They tried their best to speak soothingly to keep everyone from panicking. The baby in front of her, bundled in his mother’s arms began to fuss, his mother tried to soothe the infant. As they all entered the Vault and stood waiting to be checked in, staff also began handing out Vault uniforms all were to wear. She began putting the jumpsuit on over her clothing, the couple with the baby switched holding the baby as they changed, the father now holding the bundle. Once changed people were being brought further into the vault. She remembered walking passed windows, expecting to see furnished rooms, but instead saw only several pods side-by-side. Her brows furrowed as she followed the line, pressure building in her chest of intense uncertainty. Something was very wrong here. The Vault staff, which very much looked like scientists in their garbs, brought them into their room, a room also filled with pods. Several other staff approached and was helping put people into pods. A staff member approached her, an attempt of reassurance as she spoke soothingly to her. She did not feel reassured however; doubt was creeping quickly into her mind. Something was very, very wrong. _ __  
_ “It’s ok Miss, I assure you this is very safe. This is a protocol we must follow to insure all of your safety.” The woman smiled and gently moved her into the pod. _ __  
_ She wanted to resist but her brain followed the Vault personnel’s orders anyways. Besides, where would she go, back out into the nuclear explosions? She saw the couple with the baby also enter a pod, the man holding the baby was across from his wife. He smiled at his wife, but his eyes showed fear also. _ __  
_ The Vault woman was speaking to her but she barely registered what she was saying. She turned to the woman, her brows knitted together as she tried to focus on the words, “We are going to put you into a cryogenic stasis until the threat outside has passed. You will then be placed into your Vault 111 room where you will remain until the Vault door opens again.” _ __  
_ Cryogenic stasis? Does this technology truly exist? Her father never mentioned anything like this before; mind you he also wasn’t a scientist either. Before she could open her mouth to speak, the pod’s door closed and the Vault personnel walked to a computer pad by her pod and began typing in some command codes. It was in that moment when her pod instantly froze her life would change forever. _ __  
_ Her breath came in gasps as the intense fear began to grip the edges of her mind. She forced her limbs to move and began pounding on the pod’s door. It didn’t budge at first, and fear gripped her harder, feeling the pressure of claustrophobia closing in. Another moment of pounding the door and it suddenly popped open and she tumbled haphazardly onto the floor. She remained on her hands and knees, coughing and retching onto the floor. She kneeled there, shivering uncontrollably and gasping for several moments before she pushed herself slowly into a sitting position. She chanced a look around. Most of the pods were still closed and frosted over. She became aware of flashing emergency lights in the room. She rose unsteadily to her feet, trying to avoid her retch pile on the floor. Her legs were stiff from being frozen and she stumbled into one of the computer pads next to a pod. The computer beeped and a robotic voice spoke, “Asphyxiation due to life support failure.” _ __  
_ She looked at the pod only to see a frozen, lifeless corpse. She gasped and pushed herself away quickly. How long has she been here? She wondered briefly to herself. Suddenly she heard another pod open and the sound of someone gasping for air followed by harsh coughing. She quickly looked over to the pod across from the man with the infant. The mother was alive! She stumbled over to the woman and held her shoulders to stabilize her. _ __  
_ “Shaun…” Gasped the woman, “They…they took him!” _ __  
_ “Who took him?” She asked. She glanced across to the husband and noticed he was slumped over, his arms at his sides and not holding the bundle. _ __  
_ “I…I don’t know. They sh…shot him!” The woman sobbed and pointed to her husband. _ __  
_ Her eyes filled with sorrow as she felt the poor woman’s pain of loss. The woman started coughing hard and covered her mouth, doubling over. When she removed her hand, it was covered in blood. She stepped back from the woman and her breath caught in her throat. This woman wasn’t going to make it much longer. The woman reached out and grabbed her arm. _ __  
_ “Please.” Pleaded the woman, “Can you…find him for us? Please…” The woman looked deep into her eyes. She didn’t know who took the infant or if she’d ever find him but she knew she needed this woman to find peace in her death. _ __  
_ “What’s your name?” She asked. _ __  
_ “I…am Nora.” The woman said. She pointed to her husband’s pod, “His name is Nate. Our son….Shaun…is only a little baby. I do not know who they are. Please.” Nora winced and removed a ring from her finger and placed it in her hand, “Please find him.” Nora smiled, knowing her own fate, ”Take this…to remember.” _ __  
_ “I will.” She nodded. _ __  
_ Nora’s eyes grew soft and the light faded from within. She held onto Nora’s shoulders as she slumped forward and slowly put her on the ground. She gripped the ring in her hand, then noticed a chain around Nora’s neck. She removed it carefully, feeling a little guilty as she just robbed a corpse. She turned to Nate’s pod and pressed the key on the computer to open it. Thankfully this one worked and his pod opened. His lifeless form slumped forward slightly but never fell out to her relief. She could see where the bullet penetrated his chest and delivered the fatal shot. She reached over and carefully grabbed his left hand. She slipped the wedding ring off of his hand and gently put his hand back down. She stepped away and gripped the other ring in her hand. She took the chain and placed the rings on the chain and fastened it around her own neck. She then turned to leave this hell. _ __  
__  
Caia’s eyes flew open and she gasped for air. She lurched forward from her slumped position, her hand immediately going for the rings on the chain around her neck. Her heart beat thunderously in her chest as she fought for air. She felt herself slipping into her fears. Caia closed her eyes and forced herself to begin counting down.   
“10…9…8…7…6…” She whispered to herself, slowly feeling her heartbeat slow, “5…4…3…2…1”   
She took a deep breath, and again until her heart began to beat normal again and her breathing stable. Sweat poured off of her body. Blast these panic attacks! She never had them before the bombs fell. She sighed deeply and rubbed her eyes, “There nightmares need to piss off already.”   
Caia sighed and leaned her head against the wall behind her with her eyes closed for several minutes. She sat listening to the sounds around her, trying to push the old memories out. The outside world sounded a little too quiet, not always a good thing. It had been 6 months since she escaped from Vault 111. She stayed close by in Sanctuary Hills, afraid to explore too far until she understood better the very different world around her. Especially with the colder months of winter rolling through she didn’t want to get caught out in the open and die due to environmental changes. Not that winter was easy, even with the nuclear fallout around them the temperature still dropped. It wasn’t easy trying to keep warm when one was used to having a heated house before the bombs fell. To think that was all she thought her problems would be at the time.   
She had a little experience with firearms, having gone with her father to firing ranges many times with him. She learned from him how to properly use and hold firearms from a pistol to a rifle. However, in the harsh world she was thrown into she needed to learn real quick how to be better than average if she wanted to stay alive. The dangers were far more than she expected and although she had a better understanding than just a few months ago she still had much to learn and knew better than to let her guard down.   
Caia thought back to even a week ago when she traversed through the town of Concord and had a run in with Raiders.  She had a few tussles with them before, so she knew how to take them down fairly efficiently. Once she helped the people trapped in the Museum with the Raiders, she met for the first time one of the Commonwealth’s most dangerous predators. The Deathclaw. Sure she heard of them from traveling traders but to see one up close was something else entirely. The fight was brutal and terrifying. Her heart jumped into her throat multiple times when the beast came too close while she hid in a building and rained bullets on it from a safer position. It took quite a bit to bring it down, but it took several shots to the head before it finally fell. She examined the beast with such fascination as she always had a deep love of fantasy novels before the war. Deathclaws reminded her of a dragon of sorts. Thankfully they didn’t have wings, although in the world they live in now, who knows what can happen. It was after this fight she began documenting her finds on salvaged paper and preferred to use a pencil if she could. She wrote some snippets about her find and drew what she could.   
Caia grabbed her backpack and rummaged through it. She found a can of purified water and took a sip, taking note of what she had left and ration accordingly. She really didn’t want to be forced to drink out of a highly irradiated water source if she could avoid it. Luckily, her Pip-boy could at least tell her the level of radiation being emitted but still no sense in dying from thirst or hunger due to stupidity. She rummaged further and pulled out a package of Yum Yum Deviled Eggs. She never would have eaten them prewar but when it comes to survival anything goes! She popped one of the eggs in her mouth and sat enjoying her meager meal.   
There was a faint buzzing sound nearby causing her to stop and listen carefully. At first she thought she may be hearing things but then it came again.   
“Oh shit!” Caia crammed everything back into her bag, removing her spare 10mm Pistol; and gripped it in her hand.   
Caia flung her backpack over her shoulders and rose to her feet, hunching over. Her current location was the top level of a rundown house situated along the edge of a stagnant pond. She slowly and quietly moved to the top of the staircase and crouched for a moment listening. She could still hear the buzzing and swore again under her breath. She made her way down the stairs, her finger nestled just over the pistol’s trigger. She made her way to the bottom of the stairs, her back against the wall, she glanced around the inside of the house. The door stood open so she could take no chances. She carefully peeked around the open door to the outside and scanned her surroundings. At first there was nothing, and the buzzing had stopped. She held her breath and waited a moment longer. Then there was a buzz and she saw it.   
Caia’s face contorted in disgust, “I HATE bugs!” She shouted and leaped out from around the doorway.   
Dead ahead bobbed a bulbous, repulsive, slimy Bloatfly. If there was anything she hated more than even a nasty Feral Ghoul, it was any and all bugs. Caia gritted her teeth, raised the handgun and fired a shot at the creature. Bloatflies were at  least useless creatures and the single shot caused it to explode into a shower of slimy pieces. The buzzing didn’t stop however. Caia ran forward and jumped aside as another Bloatfly shot some of its nasty puss from its abdomen at her. She popped another shot off from the 10mm and grinned as it exploded. A flash caught her eye and she spun on her feet, unsheathing a sword and swung in an arc, slicing right through the middle of a quick Stingwing. Bloatflies are just plain gross, but she learned the hard way never to underestimate Stingwings. One was annoying but multiple Stingwings could be game over. She got stung four times at once during one run-in and she felt like a million needles piercing through her bodyt at once. The pain was excruciating. The world around her spun as the poison coursed through her veins. The only reason she had escaped those Stingwings is she ran and stumbled to get away and fell down into an old bunker. She remained there until the poison left her system. It was not an event she wanted to experience again.   
Caia wiped the Stingwing’s fluids off of her sword, her nose wrinkling in disgust. She scanned her surroundings thoroughly, and once she was certain no other dangers were nearby she sheathed the sword and placed the 10mm back into her backpack. She had a .44 pistol holstered at her side and a shotgun slung over her back but the ammunition from those were not only harder to come by but why waste on simple insects.   
Caia let out a large shudder, “So gross! I figured resting by an open water source was going to be a bad idea.” She muttered to herself, “Well might as well keep truckin’.”   
She went back to the abandoned house and made sure she didn’t leave anything behind and searched again for any potential missed supplies. Once she was satisfied she was thorough enough she continued on her journey. Usually she just explored, trying to slowly fill out the mostly blank map on her Pip-boy. Her goal right now was to find Diamond City. Her supplies and ammo were getting low and after a traveling trader mentioned the city she figured now was as good as any to travel there. From her location it would take up to a week to get there, potentially longer if she had to take a detour to bypass enemies or even environmental dangers.   
Caia glanced to the sky as she walked, determining what the weather was going to do. It was April afterall and it usually rains quite heavily in the spring months. The clouds appeared a little foreboding and she threw on a hat as a just in case. She did have an overcoat in her backpack if it started to pour rain. She glanced to her Pip-boy as she walked to determine a direction. The trader told her the best direction would be to travel east and then southeast down through Cambridge and take the bridge over to Boston. Both cities were overflowing with all sorts of baddies so to skirt around the middle parts if possible. Of course to get into Diamond City, it was pretty smack dab into the middle of most of the continuous fighting between Raiders, Gunners, Super Mutants, you name it. So now to head southeast from her current location, she would follow the main road for a little bit then head off the beaten road. Usually to follow the main roads were the safest option; however Raiders would often lay out ambushes and rob any passer-bys. She didn’t wish to waste precious ammunition on an ambush.    
After thirty minutes of walking Caia moved off the road and started to trek through the thin forest and shrubbery.  She kept a sharp eye and ears for enemies as it wasn’t just the usual enemies she had to worry about. There was plenty of wildlife also. She felt a couple of raindrops as she walked and glanced again to the sky, hoping the rain remained at a sprinkle if it decided to do more. Although if it did decide to start raining heavier she’d have to remember to collect some to keep her water stores up, so long as it wasn’t heavily irradiated.   
A branch snapping made Caia stop dead in her tracks, her hand instantly went to her .44 pistol at her side and gripped the pommel. She held her breath as she listened and carefully scanned her surroundings. She saw movement in the distance and locked onto it, ready to draw her weapon. But as she watched she noticed more than one head and released her held breath. The first creature she saw was a Radstag Doe, meandering slowly forward while searching for food. Only a few feet away from the Doe wandered a thee Stag itself, a fairly decent rack of antlers on his head. The meat would be great to harvest but she had no way of preserving it and didn’t want to waste the animal’s meat.   
“If only I could ride you, it would be a hell of a lot easier to get around than walking.” Caia pondered, a finger tapping her chin in thought.   
She chuckled and continued on her way, careful to put a little distance between her and the mutated deer. They would probably flee but she didn’t want to chance getting charged by the Stag. The walk remained uneventful throughout the day, the rain spitting a bit more here and there. After another hour’s walk, Caia came upon what looked like a campground of sorts. She glanced to her Pip-boy and poked at the dials, learning the place was called Rocky Narrows Park. As she approached she saw two run down cabins and an old rusted trailer spread out across the park. She approached the park and carefully glanced around, hoping no Ghouls or other nasties hide in the nooks and crannies.  There were broken picnic tables and random debris littered all over the park. She made her way over to one of the cabins and glanced inside. Nothing of interest lay inside so she wandered over to the rusty trailer. It looked as if someone had lived inside for a time after the bombs but probably not the owner. Beside the single chair was a cooler on the floor, Caia moved to the cooler and opened it.   
“Yes!” She exclaimed quietly and removed the cooler’s contents.   
A Stimpak, a tin of Cram in which she wrinkled her nose at, and a Nuka-cola. She did a silent victory dance and placed the items into her backpack. As she slung her backpack back over her shoulders and made ready to leave she suddenly heard a low growl and grunting. Caia froze and felt her heart start pounding in her chest.   
Caia crept slowly to the door of the trailer  and listened. Loud crunching sounded distant but nearby, followed by more grunting and growls. She chanced peaking out further and by the nearby cabin. She saw it, a big Yoa Gui. Her eyes widened and her breath caught as she watched the beast. Its nose was near the ground, sniffing for food. Caia was downwind or else the huge Bear would have found her already. She made sure the Bear was looking in the opposite direction before she took off at a run. She slowed only when she was certain the Bear wasn’t charging after her. She let out a loud sigh and allowed herself to catch her breath.   
“Going to be one of those days is it.” She said to herself and sighed again as the rain began to fall down harder, “Guess I should find some cover soon.”  __  



	2. April 22nd, 2288

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Notes: I am still working on the 3rd chapter so it will be a little slow going, I will try to get an update as quickly as I can. If you notice any errors or have questions feel free to ask!

April 22nd, 2288

  
  
    Caia had taken shelter in a cave that night, listening to the rainfall. The next morning, luckily the rain stopped and the sky was showing a little bit of blue. She would use today to get as much traveling distance as she could if the weather remained nice.  
Caia took a glance around the cave while munching on a mutfruit berry she found, as it was dark when she came across the cave and settled near the entrance. She stood, slinging her backpack over her shoulders and narrowed her eyes at a large lump at the back of the cave. Had she accidently come across the Bear’s cave and was too careless to do a thorough look around first?  
She crept over to the lump, her hand on her handgun and flipped on the flashlight to her Pip-boy and shone it in the direction of the lump. She almost jumped out of her skin and choked on the mutfruit when she realized the lump was a Deathclaw.  
A very dead Deathclaw. She sighed heavily, her heart thumping in her chest. She crept over to the large corpse, the smell only really just starting. She glanced down at the floor and noticed globes of blood had made a trail out of the cave. The creature had been injured prior and had gone into the cave before dying. She investigated the creature a little more, seeing the fatal wound on its stomach. A female, going by the shape of its horns and lack of other parts being the obvious. She took some notes in her little research book before closing it and ventured out of the cave.  
During her travels she came across what looked like a disposal site of sorts, but then decided to avoid it after glimpsing a Molerat. She really didn’t feel like playing whack-a-mole today. She did a wide berth around the place instead.  
Another couple of hours had passed, of which some of it was stopping for a quick snack and a drink, and she glimpsed ahead at what looked like a large pond.  She decided to check it out, one never knows what they may find, but as she got closer she heard voices, lots of voices. Caia instantly crouched, and practically dove into some shrubs. She crept from bush to bush, looking in every direction possible until she found the source. Her eyes narrowed, Raiders.  
Raiders were always so cocky and full of themselves, as well as high on drugs. She heard several of them shout and cheer, throwing bets at something. It was difficult to say how many there were, but glancing through the bushes she could see some tents and poorly built shacks using leftovers nearby. First things first, look for sentries. Caia was not about to be pegged off by some grunt Raider with a junk Pipe Rifle.  
Caia moved slowly and quietly through the brush, carefully scanning her surroundings.  She heard footsteps close-by and froze. The footsteps were getting closer, they were moving slowly and lazily. Caia waited patiently, not wishing to give away her position. The Raider came into sight, he was only holding a run-down Pipe Rifle. Caia hrumphed to herself and drew the sword at her side. No point in giving away her position with gunfire, she didn’t have any silencers on her firearms. The Raider came into view and she took her chance and drove the blade through the man’s stomach. She refused to look into his eyes, she did not like to see life fade from her victim’s eyes. She was only forced to kill because of the way the world has become.  
The Raider slumped and she pulled him into the bushes. She wiped her bloody blade on his clothes and quickly went through his pockets. Caia moved on through the brush, keeping herself hidden and going around the encampment. She took out three more Raiders that were on guard duty. Caia moved in closer to the fray, hiding behind a stack of crates and sheathed her blade. She removed her .44 Pistol and gripped it in her hand, her finger lightly brushing the trigger. She stood on her toes and glanced over the crates into the crowd to see what it was they were all excited about. She could see that it was some sort of animal fight, like dog fighting, but it didn’t look like dogs. She spotted a tent closer to the fight and crept carefully over to behind the tent. She peered around the tent and saw a huge Molerat hissing, spitting, and lunging at its opponent. Raiders were shouting louder and poking at the Molerat with sticks and the butts of their guns, causing the creature to try and lunge at them too. There was a shriek and the Molerat’s opponent came into view, grabbing the Molerat by the throat and bit down hard, its claws gripping the giant rats’ hide. Caia’s eyes widened, it was a baby Deathclaw.  
It must have been the young to the dead adult Deathclaw in the cave. The Raiders had killed the mother Deathclaw and taken the baby to use in some gambling Ring fight, taking bets on who would win. Caia felt sick to her stomach and despite her fear of Deathclaws, she felt sorry for the creature. The little Deathclaw was all cut up and bleeding from many parts of its body. It was running on nothing but fear and the will to survive. Caia couldn’t keep watching it suffer. She raised her pistol, moved out from her position and took a shot blowing off the head of the leader. There was pandemonium as Raiders drew weapons and began firing in Caia’s position and every which direction. One Raider had grabbed the little Deathclaw, threw a muzzle on and shoved it into a cage.  
Caia moved between tents, crates and anything else that could help block her from the gunshots whizzing passed her. She returned fire at the Raiders, narrowly avoiding shots that flew passed her legs and arms and even some that hit near her head. Her anger at the mistreatment of the baby Deathclaw allowed her to focus her shots and take out eight of the nasties quickly and efficiently. Several of them charged at her, dropping their spent firearms and drew primitive boards and clubs. Caia twisted as one approached, slamming the butt of her pistol down onto his head, causing him to drop immediately. The next one she got a nice close-up shot at his forehead and brain matter sprayed as he also dropped. The third let out a drunken battle-cry and charged at her. Caia drew her blade and spun in an upwards arc, cutting from his groin all the way up to under his chin. His eyes were wide as he fell, blood pouring from his gaping wound.  
“You’ll pay for that you bitch!” A woman Raider shrieked and fired at Caia.  
Caia holstered her pistol, sheathed her blade and pulled her combat Shotgun from the holster on her backpack. She ducked down behind some crates and waited. A few shots had flown over her head, taking out some wood chunks. The woman began approaching; Caia could hear her hard breathing. She stood up from behind the crates, stepped out and took aim, firing the shotgun directly at the woman’s stomach. Caia dropped to one knee and blasted the next one off his feet. Caia rose and glanced around the carnage before she spotted the last remaining Raider running away with the caged Deathclaw swinging in his grip. Caia put down the Shotgun, removed the Sniper Rifle from her back, aimed carefully and took the shot. The Raider let out a shout before he dropped onto his face, the cage tumbling to its side. Caia quickly put the rifle and Shotgun back onto her back and ran over to the cage.  
The little Deathclaw was growling in the cage through his muzzle. Caia picked up the cage and righted it so he wasn’t stuck on his side, then peered at the little creature. She could see the cuts and stab marks from the Raiders torturing him into fighting, but when she looked into his eyes all she could see was fear. Sadness filled her heart seeing his condition, the muzzle over his mouth and his hands tied. The little Deathclaw couldn’t go back to his dead mother and despite his ferousiousness, probably wouldn’t live long on his own, especially not while injured.  
Caia stood and walked back towards the Raider encampment to see what she could salvage, taking the cage with her. She placed the cage down on a crate and began looking through the Raider’s belongings and pockets. She took any ammunition she could find as well as Stimpaks, Radaway, and even the drugs. She had zero interest in using them herself but they were great for selling for caps. After taking everything she could carry she spent a few moments reloading her own firearms, making sure they were still in working order, cleaned the blood from her sword and settled her backpack on her back.  
Caia went back over to the cage and knelt down to look again at the baby Deathclaw. Her growled at her and she tilted her head, “Alright little guy, I am going to fix you up but first we need to find somewhere safer to make camp.” The little Deathclaw answered with another low growl.  
Caia chuckled and stood up, grabbing the cage and began trekking north. It was the opposite direction in which she wanted to go but she needed to find somewhere to bunk and see about treating the Deathclaws’ wounds. She walked for about an hour until she came across a little pond with clumps of trees around it. She didn’t exactly like how open it was but after scanning her surroundings she determined it was safe for now.  
Caia put the little cage down by a fallen tree as well as her backpack and set to making a small fire. It was a little early to make camp, the sun being just over the highest point in the sky. However after taking out the band of Raiders she needed to make sure her weapons were still in good working order, and of course to hopefully help out the little Deathclaw. Caia gathered some pieces of nearby firewood, killing a Molerat along the way and returning to camp. She knew in order to help the little Deathclaw she would need some bribery. Not to mention he was probably starving.  
Caia built the small fire and set the carcass of the Molerat down beside her. She removed from her backpack a hunting knife and carved some of the fur away to find the flesh beneath. She shifted her gaze to the Deathclaw and noticed his eyes were shifting from her to the rat. She hoped her chances of being bit or scratched were lowered with the meat. After stripping a few small fillets of flesh form the rat she moved over to face the bound and caged creature. She stared at him for a few moments, trying to assess what she needed to do. She let out a heavy sigh, “Alright little buddy, here’s the deal. I am going to take you out of this cage and patch you up.” She didn’t believe the creature could actually understand her but she spoke to it anyways, “This meat is my offering of peace to you. So do not maim me please.”  
The Deathclaw was watching her warily, his nostrils flaring and a very faint growl in his throat. She could see the struggle between exhaustion and fear and hoped she could win over a little bit of trust after this. Caia moved slowly to the cage, trying also to show the Deathclaw she wasn’t going to harm him. She pulled the latch on the cage and slowly opened the door. The Deathclaw began growling louder and scooted to the very back of the cage. She slowly reached in and grabbed his sides and despite his hind legs trying to keep himself in she carefully pulled him out of the cage. His hind legs were the only free part moving as her tried to flail about to escape her grip. The whites of his eyes were showing and his growl was reaching a higher pitch.”  
Caia pulled him up to eye level with her, “Hey it’s ok! I am not going to torture you like they did, I promise. I only want to help you.”  
Caia set the Deathclaw in her lap, thankful that his long claws were primarily on his fore hands and not hind paws. She pulled out a Stimpak and although she had only four remaining she felt it was right to sacrifice one for this little creature.  
“This will only hurt for a moment. I know you’ve been through enough with being hit and poked but at least this will help you.”  
Caia removed the cap to the tip of the syringe and quickly poked it just behind the Deathclaw’s neck, pushing its contents through as quickly as she could. The Deathclaw squeaked pitifully and tried to hop away but Caia had a firm grip on him. She took a rag that she had dampened with water and carefully wiped off the blood from his wounds while waiting for the effects of the Stimpak to work through the little body. He struggled at first, growling through his heavy breathing, but as the Stimpak worked through his body and began its healing wonders the Deathclaw began to cease struggling and his growl softened. Caia finished cleaning what she could and tossed the rag into the fire. She grabbed her offering and looked again to the little Deathclaw, his eyes darting now to the strips of meat.  
“I am going to removed your muzzle and untie your hands. Remember that I helped you and am giving you a peace offering.”  
Caia all but held her breath and carefully removed the muzzle and untied his hands. The Deathclaw leaped forward immediately, causing Caia’s heart to leap into her throat and caused her to yelp in surprise. The Deathclaw had leaped for the meat in his hands, not to bite or claw her. He gulped it down quickly and set his eyes on the Molerat’s carcass. Without hesitating he bounded to the carcass and began ripping into the flesh, clearly famished. Caia release the breath she was holding and sighed deeply. She watched the little Deathclaw with a smile, but was also a little wary of what he was going to do afterwards. The Deathcaw ripped and chewed for some time, taking in as much sustenance as possible. When he finally stopped he stood for a moment, breathing heavily and blood dripping off his muzzle. He let out a series of grunts and squeaks, licking his fore claws a bit then turned to face Caia.  
He stared at her with his unnaturally orange eyes. She stared back, ready to move incase he lunged but his eyes no longer showed fear, but curiosity.  Caia shifted and he growled lightly, his nostrils flaring. She stilled and watched the creature, her eyebrows raised. He watched her for several moments, clicking his front claws together.  
“If you want to leave I won’t stop you, just try not to waste all the hard work I did to fix you up and rescue you.” Caia spoke soothingly.  
The little Deathclaw blinked then shook himself before wandering over to the little pond. Caia sighed and grabbed her weapons, one by one cleaning them and making sure they didn’t need fixing. She glanced up from her chore when the little Deathclaw returned and watched him go back to the Molerat and eat some more. He demolished the carcass so there was virtually nothing left. She was surprised at how much the young Deathclaw could eat. After finishing his meal the Deathclaw moved over towards the warmth of the fire and law down, curling into a ball to sleep. Caia chuckled and continued cleaning her weapons. Once finished she tucked everything away and sat munching on some Brahmin jerky and sipping on some water.  
Caia didn’t recall dozing off but the sound of buzzing snapped her eyes open. Just to her right flashed a long form and her eyes widened at the stinger coming at her, “Oh sh…!”  
The yelped and tripped backwards over the tree behind her as a form leaped up and took down the Stingwing as it was about the pierce its stinger into her. The Deathclaw sunk his teeth into the head of the insect and used his fore claws to rip the stinger off of its body. The Stingwing immediately went limp and the little Deathclaw ripped the insects head from its body and crunched quite happily.  
Caia’s eyes were wide and her breathing heavy. Gods she hated bugs! She stared at the Deathclaw as she rose to her feet and he stopped crunching to watch her.  
“I guess we’re even now huh?” She said and the Deathclaw continued crunching his meal, his eyes following her curiously.  
Caia glanced around and up at the sky, realizing it was now early morning, her Pipboy reading 4:06am. She couldn’t believe she slept so soundly and scolded herself for letting her guard down. She used a bowl to put out the remains of the smoldering fire then slung her backpack over her shoulders. The Deathclaw had finished off the Stingwing and was licking his fore claws.  
Caia smiled at him, “Alright little buddy, I have to keep going. Try to stay alive.” He watched her as she turned to leave.  
Caia only walked for a few minutes before she heard the sound of padding behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and stopped, her brows raised in surprise. The little Deathclaw was following her. She stopped a few paces away and tilted his head at her.  
Caia knelt down and perched on the balls of her feet, “You are free to go where you wish you know. You aren’t a captive anymore.” The Deathclaw blinked and didn’t move. She pondered a moment, wondering if he could understand her, realizing also that she was speaking to him like a bloody dog! Deathclaws were known to be very intelligent afterall.  
“Did you wish to come with me?” She asked him.  
The little Deathclaw chirped at her and started to walk towards her. Caia felt a little apprehensive but remembered that the whole time she was asleep he could have attacked her then. He stepped infront of her outstretched hand and sniffed it. He stepped back and watched her again with his curious orange eyes. The little Deathclaw was probably feeling some detachment with the loss of his mother and despite his sharp little teeth and claws, he was still vulnerable to predators and needed protection.  
“Would you like to ride on my backpack?” Caia asked again.  
The little Deathclaw chirruped and clambered up her arm and settled himself on the top of her backpack. Caia rose to her feet, adjusting to the weight of the little Deathclaw but didn’t find him any different than one of her rifles. He had curled up facing behind her, she could hear his soft breathing,  
She smiled at her sudden new companion, “Let’s head out little buddy.”  
She screwed up her face in thought, tapping a finger to her chin, “I am assuming you are a male, though your horns are still too short to tell.” He made a small grunting noise in response.  
“I suppose that makes for an answer. Now I need a name for you. Little buddy just doesn’t suit you.” She mused as she walked.  
She pondered for several moments longer before her stopped, “I know! I will call you Jax!” She turned her head to glance at the little form resting behind her, “How about it?”  
He chirped softly and Caia chuckled, “I’ll take that as a yes.” And continued on her destination.


End file.
